Orient, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orient, New York Orient Point
Hamlet and census-designated place
Orient Long Beach Bar Light
Location on Long Island
U.S. Census Map
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Suffolk
Town	Southold
Area
• Total	10.09 sq mi (26.13 km2)
• Land	5.13 sq mi (13.28 km2)
• Water	4.96 sq mi (12.85 km2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	999
• Density	194.89/sq mi (75.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	11957
Area code(s)	631
FIPS code	36-55321
GNIS feature ID	0959470

Orient is a small community, called a hamlet, located in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. It is also a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. In 2020, about 999 people lived here.

People often use the names Orient and Orient Point to mean the same thing. However, Orient Point is actually the very end of the North Fork of Long Island. Orient is the hamlet where this point is located.

A Look at Orient's History and Tourism

Orient is the community furthest east on Long Island's North Fork. It was first called Poquatuck, named after the local Native American tribe. Later, it was known as Oyster Ponds because of the many oyster beds nearby.

How Orient Got Its Name

Both Orient and East Marion were originally part of Oysterponds. This was due to the large number of shellfish in the area. What is now Orient was called Lower Neck, and East Marion was called Upper Neck.

In 1836, the communities separated. East Marion was named after Revolutionary War General Francis Marion. He was known as the Swamp Fox. "East" was added to its name because there was already a town called Marion in upstate New York.

The name Orient was chosen because it means "east." It reflected the area's location as the easternmost point on the North Fork. A story says the name was changed to Orient to match its most famous feature, Orient Point. This happened when Oyster Bay, New York became well-known during President Teddy Roosevelt's time.

Life and Economy in Orient

Orient's population grows a lot in the summer. It goes from around 1,000 people in winter to many more. The hamlet has a post office, a gas station, a country store, and a few seasonal tourist shops. There isn't a big shopping area. Because of this, people living in Orient often go to nearby Greenport for their daily needs.

Many residents work at the United States Department of Agriculture lab. This lab is on Plum Island, which is a short boat ride from Orient Point. Other people work at businesses further west. Truck farming (growing crops for sale) and commercial fishing are still important industries here.

Orient has a New England feel with many old homes. Some houses were built over the last three centuries. Locals often joke that a "new house" is anything built after World War II.

Early Settlers and Revolutionary Times

Orient was first settled by five families in the 1600s. They received land from the King of England. Their family names, like King, Terry, Glover, Latham, Tuthill, and Vail, are still found in local families today.

During the American Revolution, Orient was used by British commanders. Benedict Arnold and local Tories (people loyal to the British) used it as a base. From here, they would launch raids on areas in Connecticut held by the American forces. One of Benedict Arnold's headquarters was a tavern owned by the Vail family. This tavern was on what is now called "Village Lane."

Many of the hamlet's older buildings are part of the Orient Historic District. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Ferry Services

For over a hundred years, ferries have connected Orient Point to southern New England. The Cross Sound Ferry now runs a service for cars and people. It travels between Orient Point and New London, Connecticut. This service has grown to include Sea Jet service. This service takes people to the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casino.

Geography of Orient

Aerial view of Orient, Long Island

Orient covers about 6.1 square miles (15.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 5.1 square miles (13.2 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 1.0 square mile (2.6 square kilometers), is water.

Climate in Orient

Orient has a humid continental climate. This means it has cold, damp winters and warm, humid summers. The weather is also affected by the Atlantic Ocean. This makes temperatures more moderate, especially in summer. The constant breeze from the ocean helps keep summer days cooler than in other parts of Long Island.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 709 people living in Orient. There were 330 households, and 205 of these were families. The population density was about 139 people per square mile.

About 18.5% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2 people. The average family had about 2.7 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 18.1% were under 18 years old.
• 2.8% were from 18 to 24 years old.
• 15.7% were from 25 to 44 years old.
• 29.1% were from 45 to 64 years old.
• 34.4% were 65 years old or older.

The median age in Orient was 54 years. This means half the people were older than 54 and half were younger.

Schools in Orient

• Oysterponds Union Free School District

Notable People from Orient

• Bill Hands, a baseball player.
• Robert Berks, a sculptor and artist.
• Richard Serra, a famous sculptor who passed away here in 2024.

See also

In Spanish: Orient (Nueva York) para niños